Pneumatic pressure type respirator

ABSTRACT

Pneumatic pressure type respirators are built up of purely pneumatic means which, however, interact between control and actuator means of the device. Thereby the pressure signals themselves influence also directly the flow of work medium. To obviate this, the invention employs independent pressure lines for both the control and the actuator means between a pressurised gas source and the ambient atmosphere while both means are mechanically interconnected by at least one pneumatic valve and by at least one manometer operated swith means. Such arrangement ensures that the flow of the work medium is influenced by pressure signals only, through the mechanical interconnection.

United States Patent 1 1 Helm et a1.

1 PNEUMATIC PRESSURE TYPE RESPIRATOR [75] Inventors: Laiszlo Helm; Gyiirgy Kosa; Attila Sziics, all of Budapest, Hungary [73] Assignee: Medicor Muvek, Budapest, Hungary [22] Filed: May 17, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 144,052

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 18, 1970 Hungary ME1224 [52] US. Cl. 128/1453 [51] Int. Cl A62b 7/00 [58] Field of Search ..128/145.5145.8

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,547,458 4/1951 Goodner 128/145.8 3,251,359 5/1966 lsmach 128/145.8 3,265,061 8/1966 Gage,.lr 128/145.8

[ June 19, 1973 3,307,542 3/1967 Andrcascn .1 l28/145.8 3 ,368,555 2/1968 Beasley l28/l45.8 3,494,357 2/1970 Kimball 128/1458 3,598,116 8/1971 Peters et al. 128/1455 Primary Examiner--Charles F. Rosenbaum Att0rnpyYoung & Thompson 57 ABSTRACT Pneumatic pressure type respirators are built up of purely pneumatic means which, however, interact between control and actuator means of the device. Thereby the pressure signals themselves influence also directly the flow of work medium. To obviate this, the invention employs independent pressure lines for both the control and the actuator means between a pressurised gas source and the ambient atmosphere while both means are mechanically interconnected by at least one pneumatic valve and by at least one manometer operated swith means. Such arrangement ensures that the flow of the work medium is influenced by pressure signals only, through the mechanical interconnection.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures Patented June 19, 1973 3,739,775

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented June 19, 1973 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I I....... .J

Patmtod June 19, 1973 3,739,775

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to pneumatic pressure type respirators, particularly to medical respirators.

As is known, respirators are destined to maintain a breathing process in a living creature, particularly in the human body. In case of emergency, the respirator helps to provide a patient with oxygen.

It has been suggested to employ respirators built up of purely pneumatic means. Such respirators may work on the basis of pressure and are called pressure type respirators as distinguished from respirators operating on the basis of volume. They have the inconvenience that there is a direct connection between their control means and their actuator means and, thus, the signals themselves directly influence the main flow of work medium. This is, in turn, undesirable with respect to the breathing process to be performed since its program may thereby be considerably altered.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to obviate the aforesaid deficiency and to provide a pneumatic respirator of the pressure type suitable for carrying out a well defined breathing program undisturbed by the programming signals themselves. The basic idea of the invention is that such respirators are obtainable if the control is, from a pneumatic point of view, heremetically separated from the performance itself. Constructing respirators of such a is rendered possible by the employment of pneumatic logical elements which work in the manner of electronic logical elements without, however, requiring electrical auxiliary energy supply instead of which a pressure medium source is needed. For this purpose, the main energy source of the device may be tapped or a separate pressure source may be employed for operating the pneumatic logical elements which, in turn, define the program according to which the breathing process is to be performed. Thus, the invention is concerned with pneumatic pressure type respirators comprising, in combination, a casing, a control unit and an actuator unit controlled by said control unit within said casing, at least one pressurized gas source for energising said control unit and supplying said actuator unit with a work medium, means for connecting said actuator unit to a patients lung, at least one pneumatic valve and at least one manometer operated switch means for mechanically interconnecting said control unit and said actuator unit, first pressure lines for connecting said control unit and second pressure lines for connecting said actuator unit with said pressurized gas source and the ambiency, respectively, said firstpressure lines being hermetically separated from said second pressure lines between said pressurized gas source and the ambiency. It will be seen that such an arrangement ensures that any adjustments of the actuator unit are performed by mechanical means which, in

turn, are adjusted by pneumatic logical and peripheral means. Thus, the new respirator is distinguished by the great advantage that the breathing process itself is not tampered with by programming signals. A further advantage consists in that, by means of multiplying the various pneumatic logical elements and peripherals, a broad variety of breathing programs are readily feasible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Further details of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show examplified embodiments of the pneumatic pressure type respirator according to the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of bodiment of the new device.

FIG. 2 is a connection diagram of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a connection diagram of a modified detail of another exemplified embodiment.

Similar details in the drawings are referred to by the same reference numerals.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, reference character 10 designates a casing containing a control unit 12 and an actuator unit 14, which form parts of a drawer l6 removably arranged in the casing 10. The actuator unit 14 has a mouth piece 18 connected to it by means of a hose 20. The outer extremity of the hose 20 which forms a service head 21 is suspended from the casing 10 by means of a linkage links of which are referred to by reference characters 22 and 24.

Details of the control unit 12 and the actuator unit 14 may be seen in the connection diagram shown in FIG. 2, where reference character 28 designates a pressurised gas source such as an oxygen bottle known per se and reference character 30 designates the ambiency or atmospheric pressure. The pressure source 28 may be connected to pressure lines of the control unit 12 and the actuator unit 14 by means of a master switch 32 closing of which is signalled by an indicator 34.

The control unit 12 has a special storage tank 36 which may be replaced by a special pressure source if the control unit 12 has to be operated by a work medium different from that used for operating the actuator unit 14. A pressure line 38 connects the pressure source 28 through the storage tank 36 with the feed input of several pneumatic logical elements and through a throttle valve 40 with pairs of supply nozzles and receiver nozzles to be described hereinafter. The system of pneumatic logical elements consists of an OR-gate 42 the inputs of which are connected to the outputs of a pair of logical negators 44 and 46, respectively. The output of the OR-gate is connected to one of the inputs of a memory 48 the other input of which is connected to the output of a further logical negator 50. The output of the memory 48 is connected to the input of a logical negator 52 the output of which controls a pressure line 54.

The pressure line 38 supplies a supply nozzle 56 which has a receiver nozzle 58 associated with it. The

an exemplified emlatter controls the negator 46. The line of alignment of both nozzles 56 and 58 within the gap therebetween is crossed by the path 60 ofa fly 62 carried by the pointer 64 of a manometer 66.

Similar pairs of supply nozzles and receiver nozzles 68, and 72, 74 are connected to and associated with, respectively, the pressure line 38 in mutual angular positions the gaps of which are crossed by a path 76 of a fly78 carried by the pointer 80 of another manometer 82.

All pairs of supply nozzles and receiver nozzles 56, 58 and 68, 70 and 72, 74 are arranged for angular displacements so as to be adjustable as to registering of the flies 62 and 78 with the gaps between associated nozzles in a manner shown. The receiver nozzle 58 cooperates with the negator 46, and the receiver nozzles 70 and 74 co-operate with the negators 44 and 50, respectively.

Another pressure line 84 is connected with the ambiency 30. It has connections to the negators 44, 46, 50 and 52 to the memory 48, and, through a shut-off valve 86 to the manometer 66. Shut-off valve 86 is operated by a pneumatic valve 88 which in turn is connected with pressure line 54. A throttle valve 90 lies in a branch 92 of the pressure line 54 connecting the latter with the manometer 66.

The actuator unit 14 is mechanically interconnected with the control unit 12 by a pair of pneumatic valves 96 and 98 which are acted upon by the pressure prevailing in the pressure line 54 of the control unit 12, and operate a pair of shut-off valves 100 and 102, respectively. The shut-off valve 100 lies in a pressure line 104 which is connected to the ambiency 30. The other shut-off valve 102 lies in a pressure line 106 which connects the pressurized gas source 28 through the mouth piece 18 with a patients lung symbolised by a circle 108 in FIG. 2. An adjustable throttle valve 110 connects the pressure line 106 with a pressure line 112 which, in turn, connects the manometer 82 with the patients lung 108.

Reference character 114 designates a manometer which indicates the pressure prevailing in the patient's lung 108, and reference character 1 l5 designates a humidifier.

It will be seen that the control unit 12 and the actuator unit 14 are, from a pneumatic point of view, heremetically separated from one another as regards their pressure lines 38, 54, 84, 92 and 104, 106, 112, respectively, between the pressurized gas source 28 and the ambiency 30. On the other hand, they are mechanically interconnected so that the control unit 12 is enabled to program the actuator unit 14 without the working medium flowin the pressure lines 104, 106 and 112 of the latter being interfered with by the pressures prevailing in the pressure lines 38, 54, 84 and 92 of the former.

In operation, the respirator head 21 is suspended by the linkage 22 and 24 so as to be available to a patient who is given the mouth piece 18 whereafter the master switch 32 is switched on.

Closing of the master switch 32 means that the pressurized gas source 28 is connected to the pressure lines of both the control unit 12 and the actuator unit 14, and, through the latter to the patients lung 108. Such operational position is signalled by the indicator 34.

The pairs of nozzles 68, 70 and 72, 74 are adjusted to preselected values determined e.g., by the physician who administers artificial breathing to his patient. Thereupon,an alternate expiration and inspiration begins.

Such course of breathing is programmed by the control unit 12. It is seen that the manometer 82 in the actuator unit 14 is arranged for sensing the pressure prevailing in the patients lung 108 through the pressure line 112. When there is pressure in the patient's lung 108 the pointer 80 of the manometer 82 is deflected in the counter-clockwise sense whereas in case of a depression in the patients lung 108 it is deflected in the opposite sense. When the fly 78 on the pointer 80 intersects the line of alignment between the nozzles 68, and 72, 74, the jet emerging from the supply nozzles 68 and 72 is interrupted so that the pressure prevailing in the receiver nozzles 70 or 74, respectively, is descreased. Such pressure decrease acts on the input of the negators 44 and 50 associated with the receiver nozzles 70 and 74, respectively, where a logical zero level appears. On the other hand, a pressure surge appears on the outputs of the negators 44 and 50 which means logical 1 levels.

When the depression in the lung 108 of the patient reaches its adjusted value or the preset expiration time period expires, the OR-gate 42 permits input to the memory 48. Then, the memory 48 informs the actuator unit 14 to start the inspiration period. At the same time, it operates the negator 52 which prevents the supply pressure from reaching the manometer 66 through the throttle valve 90. Furthermore, the supply pressure is relieved in the diaphragm valve 88 so that the shut-off valve 86 opens. Thus, the manometer 66 which senses the expiration time period is, in the supplied condition of the memory 48, connected with the ambiency 30 by both the shut-off valve 86 and the negator 52.

When the pressure prevailing in the lung of the patient reaches its preset value, the contents (logical 1 level) of the memory 48 are cleared. In its cleared condition the memory 48 informs the actuator unit 14 to start an expiration period. Then, the pointer 64 of the manometer 66 is caused to be deflected in a manner characteristic of the expiration time period. The output of the negator 52 the input of which is connected with the output of the memory 48 is, then, under pressure, which means a logical 1 level in the memory 48. The manometer 66 which, as has been said, serves for sensing the expiration time period begins to be filled through the throttle valve 90 while the shut-off valve 86 which connects the manometer 66 with the ambiency is closed. Then, the above described cycle is carried out again.

In the course of inspiration, the pressurized gas flows from its source 28 through the pressure line 106, the shut-off valve 102, the adjustable throttle valve and the pressure line 112 besides the manometer 82 into the mouth piece 18 and, therethrough, into the lung 108 of the patient as indicated by arrows 1 16 and 118. Expiration, on the other hand, means that the shut-off valve 102 is closed and the shut-off valve 100 is open so that the lung 108 of the patient and the manometer 82 are connected through the shut-off valve 100 and the pressure line 104 with the ambiency 30 as indicated by arrows and 122. In both cases, the pressure prevailing in the patients lung is indicated by the manometer 114.

Hereinbefore, the pointers 64 and 80 of the manometers 66 and 82 have been described as carrying flies 62 and 78, arranged to intersect the gap between the supply and receiver nozzles 68, 72 and 70, 74, respectively. However, instead of such jet interruption type switching means it is possible to employ manometers of the nozzle flap type. Such an exemplified embodiment is shown in FIG. 3 by a detail which comprises a manometer 82' the pointer 80 of which carries a flap 124. In such case, the receiver nozzles 70 and 74 are dispensed with. Instead, simple outlets 70 and 74' are employed. The fly 124 on the pointer 80 moves therebetween, its switching positions being shown by full and broken lines, respectively. Such an embodiment permits building respirators which are particularly suitable for rougher handling.

The invention has hereinbefore been described as a respirator operated by a single type of gas such as oxygen. Due to the invention, however, which provides hermetically separated pressure lines for both the control unit and the actuator unit it is possible to employ different gases for the purposes of control and actuating. Thus, for instance, the control unit 12 may be operated by nitrogen which is stored in the tank 36, the latter being separated from the gas source 28. Such expedient permits reducing the oxygen consumption and, thereby, the costs of a gas a high degree of purity of which is required for breathing purposes.

What we claim is:

l. A pneumatic pressure type respirator comprising, in combination, a casing, a control unit and an actuator unit controlled by said control unit in said casing, at least one pressurized gas source for energizing said control unit and for supplying with work medium said actuator unit, means for connecting said actuator unit to a patients lung, at least one pneumatic valve and at least one manometer operated switch means for mechanically interconnecting said control unit with said actuator unit, first pressure lines for connecting said control unit with said pressurized gas source and with the ambiency, and second pressure lines for connecting said actuator unit with said pressurized gas source and the ambiency, respectively, said first pressure lines being hermetically separated from said second pressure lines between said pressurized gas source and said ambiency. 

1. A pneumatic pressure type respirator comprising, in combination, a casing, a control unit and an actuator unit controlled by said control unit in said casing, at least one pressurized gas source for energizing said control unit and for supplying with work medium said actuator unit, means for connecting said actuator unit to a patient''s lung, at least one pneumatic valve and at least one manometer operated switch means for mechanically interconnecting said control unit with said actuator unit, first pressure lines for connecting said control unit with said pressurized gas source and with the ambiency, and second pressure lines for connecting said actuator unit with said pressurized gas source and the ambiency, respectively, said first pressure lines being hermetically separated from said second pressure lines between said pressurized gas source and said ambiency. 